Barcode scanners and imagers are used to scan and decode visual indicia (e.g., “barcodes”) attached to products and the like. In many cases, an item or an item's packaging includes many different barcodes having any number of symbologies, giving rise to mixed-use requirements. Furthermore, when it is inconvenient to place a barcode on the item itself, it is common to assemble a “pick sheet” of barcodes—i.e., a sheet of paper or the like upon which a large number of barcodes are assembled in row/column form.
While hand-held and portable scanners are easy to aim, and typically include some form of aiming aid, many scanners are stationary. A stationary scanner is one in which the scanning or imaging component is rigidly attached to a base or structure such that its orientation and position are substantially fixed. Stationary scanners are often seen, for example, at check-out counters and other such locations.
It is very difficult to use a stationary scanner to select a particular barcode from among a number of barcodes present on a pick sheet or other item, as such scanners lack any form of aiming capability. Incorporating a mechanical aiming feature into a stationary scanner is expensive and largely defeats the purpose of having a stationary scanner.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods that allow a user to easily and quickly select a particular barcode on an item having more than one barcode, especially in cases where the barcode scanner is stationary.